Getty Image / Will Murray
Rafael Nadal is one of the greatest athletes of our generation. He’s been thrilling tennis fans around the world for over two decades.
The Spaniard has won a men’s tennis record 22 grand slam championships and has been ranked number one for over 200 weeks. His fourteen championships at the French Open will certainly never be topped.
Even in his advanced age for a professional tennis player, Rafa has still been winning. He won the Australian Open and French Open last year. That Australian Open win made him the first player in men’s tennis history to win the career grand slam twice. In other words, he has won the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon more than once.
He came into this year’s Australian Open as the defending champion and top-seed, though not the betting favorite. That title belonged to Novak Djokovic, who is right on Nadal’s heels for the Grand Slam record.
But, Nadal struggled in his first-round match, needing four sets to beat unseeded Brit Jack Draper. That set up a second-round match with American Mackenzie McDonald.
But, during the match he pulled up with a hip injury that severely limited his movement. Somehow, despite not being able to run or change direction at all, he finished the match, but lost 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
Nadal’s girlfriend in tears after he pulled up with that injury before he lost in three sets.. #Nadal #AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/RToO4NUhGU
— John Watson (@JohnWatsonSport) January 18, 2023
Rafa Nadal OUT…
This the moment he pulled up in his second round match before receiving treatment..
loses in three sets #Nadal #AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/WwDJMEPEbe— John Watson (@JohnWatsonSport) January 18, 2023
Due to his ferocious style and willingness to chase down every ball, Nadal has always battled injuries. The consensus opinion in the tennis community is no one is sure how he lasted this long at such a high level. But, at 36, it seems unlikely he will ever win another hard-court slam again. You can never count him out at the French Open, but even that seems a stretch right now.
But, you cannot question this guy’s warrior spirit. He is one of the greatest competitors ever in sports.
Life lessons from Rafael Nadal, part 57683:
“When u like to do one thing, sacrifices always make sense, because the ‘sacrifice’ word is not like this. When u do things that you like to do, at the end of the day, it's not a sacrifice. You are doing the things that u want to do.” pic.twitter.com/NoiPxD9nxm
— Musab (@Musab_Abid) January 18, 2023